Guide to picking your Tier 6 Token Tank - 2020 edition

Hello ladies and gents!

The last time I made this guide, things were very different in WoT. We had massive/spanning tech trees with upwards of 5-6 branches starting at tier 2 for many nations. Most nations are now a single branch up to tier 4/5. Tech trees were updated across the board with some tanks added, and many removed from the trees.

One of the more common questions on here follows the theme of "I am a new player, and I have a token for a Tier 6 tank. What should I pick?" For a very new player, this choice has massive implications on your early-game career. However, as you get more and more experience playing the game, and you start to branch out through different tech trees, it becomes less of an important pick, and more of a 'pick that I really enjoyed, so I kept wanting to play the game'.

In that vein of thinking, I will evaluate each Tier 6 tank in the following categories:

Easy to learn/forgiving of mistakes. As a new player, you will probably want to play a tank that lets you get away with the occasional mistake so you can play longer in each match. Also, comfort of play is a big thing, as tanks with more gun depression are more comfortable to play than tanks with poor gun depression, and good gun handling is easier to deal with than bad gun handling, etc.
Shared Research. Getting a hands-up on research in other branches of a tree can be very crucial to new players. A tank that lets you share guns, engines, and radios on many other tanks in the same tree helps the new player get more tanks faster, as they need to research fewer parts.
Future Fun – Are tanks further on in the branch worth grinding to? Even though tier 10 isn't the end-all be-all of this game, new players will want to know if there are going to be tanks worth their time and effort for grinding to past their free tier 6.
Overall Score – This is not an explicit recommendation. This is more of a quick 'at-a-glance' measure to see how much "bang-for-my-token" you will likely get out of your initial first choice. Basically, I am just using a quick mathematical formula of (E2L + SR + FF)/3.

Note 1: I can only go over current branches in the tech tree in game as of this post. I am unable to speculate about new upcoming branches (like the rumored Italian Heavies) because they are not in the game yet. Some tanks that used to be in the tree were removed and are now in the Collector's Vehicles part of the in-game store, and you can only get them once you get a tank of the same tier/nation unlocked.

Note 2: I will straight out say I will never recommend using your token for a free Tier 6 on Arty.

Note 3: TD = Tank Destroyer. HT = Heavy Tank. MT = Medium Tank. LT = Light Tank. SPG = Artillery aka Arty

**********

USA

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
M44	6 – Fast Firing SPG. Very powerful for the tier. Commonly hated upon in public.	2 – Shares radio with 1 other SPG in line, and engine with T69	5 – Really hard to recommend unless you want SPG's to do missions in. The Tier 10 T92 has the biggest gun in game, but in general, seems to be not as well 'liked' as the M53/55 at Tier 9.	4.3
T37	4 – Being a LT and with the need to learn to be a good scout, this is going to be more difficult to learn to play properly. Poor armor means mistakes are punished harshly.	3 – Only shares research on Engine with 1 other LT in tree, and Radio with a handful of tanks	8 – Several fun tanks ahead. T49 with Derp (152mm) is seen as hilariously fun to play by many.	5
Hellcat	4 – Armor that is made out of hopes and dreams means any mistakes are punished harshly. Once you become an experienced player, this can be a very powerful TD.	9 – All 4 guns, both radios, and all 3 engines are shared across many tanks/tiers. If you are going for research bang for your token, hard to pass this up.	7 – After buffs to the line, this branch has become great for new players to play, if you are willing to put up with how squishy tiers 6 and 7 are.	6.6
Jackson	6 – The armor is enough that you can survive the occasional mistake. Not as fast as the hellcat, so it is easier to keep from accidentally rushing headfirst in to danger.	7 – Most modules shared. However, as it has so few modules to upgrade, it just doesn't provide as much bang for your token as the Hellcat	7 – Speed buffs a few patches back made this line a lot better. Very tough TD's with big alpha. Good for a new player who wants to get in and dirty with a TD.	6.6
M4A3E8	6 – Armor isn't going to help you survive. However, it is decently mobile and the gun selection is great.	10 – Tons of shared research across the MT and HT branches. Decent guns. Decent Mobility. Good all-around medium. Branch past this also tend to be good all-arounders.	5 – While the future tanks are good tanks in their own right, for a new player, this is going to be a harsh grind. Without a bank of Free XP to help unlock tracks/turrets, the stock configs will drive you mad.	7
M6	5 – This heavy is extremely average. However, the top gun will serve you well while grinding on the T29 at tier 7 – easily one of the most powerful tanks in game tier for tier.	5 – Shares all guns with MT/HT branches. The radios and engines only share with the Tier 5.	8 – With recent buffs, this entire tree – aside from tier 8 – have a new lease on life with increased armor and firepower.	6

**********

GERMANY

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
Hummel	5 – Nothing really outstanding about this SPG	3 – really only good if you want to unlock Radios on almost the entire German tree. Can do this better elsewhere. Also, unlocks engines for Nashorn.	5 – Really hard to recommend unless you want SPG's to do missions in. Tier 9 and 10 have big guns and hit hard, but are not very mobile.	4.3
Nashorn	5 – A really average TD, with some powerful guns and great gun depression. All the good offset by the poor mobility and terrible armor.	6 – Shares guns with other TD's in tree, radio with a few, and engines with Hummel	5 – Equal parts great TD's and Bad TD's. Also, with 0 armor, this is a poor choice for a new player, as you get punished hard for any mistakes. More of an advanced player line.	5.3
Jg. Pz. IV	5 – A really average TD, with a good top gun.	7 – Shares guns with other TD's in the tree, radios with many tanks, and engines with several mid-tier tanks	6 – Slightly above average line with hard hitting guns, an emphasis on armor over mobility, and ending at the meme-worthy Jg. Pz. E-100	6
VK 30.01P	5 – what used to be a good, mobile MT was converted into a HT during the tech tree updates. Good mobility for a HT, but lacking a bit in armor to survive mistakes.	10 – Tons of shared research with the rest of the tree, from guns that cross the MT/HT branches, radios that cover almost the entire tree, and engines shared with several tanks.	7 – Armor and survivability is the name of the game for both branches past this. Very slow, heavily armored tanks. Great to learn how to angle armor, and prepare to receive lots of gold rounds to the face. Hard to rate higher because while heavily armored, these HT’s can be awkward to play.	7
VK 36.01H	6 – An average HT, but one that leads on to much bigger and brighter things in the future. Armor will save you from some mistakes.	6 – Not a bunch of modules to research, but what is here is shared all over the tech tree, aside from the engine.	8 – After recent buffs, the rest of this branch is considered great. From the massive DPM of the Tiger 1, to the the armor/gun buffs at tier 8+, this will be a great line that is forgiving of mistakes as you learn this game	6.6
VK 30.02M	6 – Basically a Panther one tier lower. A great introduction to MT play. Armor can sometimes save you from a mistake, but don't count on it.	5 – Shares research – just not as much as other tanks in the same tree at the same tier. The guns aren't shared all over, the engines aren't shared with many, but the radios are shared all over the tree.	7 – With upcoming buffs to the E 50 M branch (more armor), along with recent buffs to the Leopard 1 branch, what used to be a throw-away part of this tree is now highly desired. Leopard 1 branch's lack of armor is what holds this score lower, as it means mistakes are punished harshly for new players.	6
VK 28.01	4 – Many years ago, was a great LT. However, changes (losing the 105mm howitzer) turned it from unique into just underwhelming. Add in needing to learn scouting mechanics, and you will be in for a bad time.	3 – shares nothing aside from radios	4 – some of the LT's in this branch are considered as OK or decent, but overall, this is easily the weakest LT branch in the game	3.6

**********

USSR

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
SU-100	6 – This TD has some great guns that do a lot of damage. However, gun depression issues will make it harder for new players to take advantage of	4 – Basically, only shares radios, 1 gun with a lower tier tank, and engine with 4 other tanks. Look elsewhere if you want a leg-up on research	8 – Both branches are solid choices, with the 268 branch being all about the massive boomsticks, and the 268 v4 branch being about trollish armor and mobility.	6
MT-25	5 – It is an average LT, with decent guns and mobility. Is a good starter LT if you want to learn basic scouting.	1 – Shares only Radios. Look elsewhere if you want a leg-up on research.	6 – a great line of combat oriented lights. However, hard to recommend to new players, as mistakes are harshly punished	4
T-34-85	7 – One of the best 'my first MT' choices in the game. It is mobile, has armor that will occasionally save you from mistakes, and a great selection of guns.	6 – Tech tree shuffle massively reduced the amount of shared research. Still shares with MT and HT branches on guns, shares radios, and shares engines.	8 – MT's that tend to have great turrets, great mobility, and good guns. Gun depression issues keep from a higher rating, as poor gun depression is a hindrance to the new player. As you gain experience, consider these branches, as they are very powerful in an experienced players hands.	7
A-43	3 – Rear turreted tanks are awkward enough for experienced players. In the hands of a new player – you will likely face frustration with the poor gun depression and very awkward playstyle	6 – Shares research about the same as the T-34-85. Guns and Engines shared with MT and HT branches, with radios shared all over	5 – At best, average tanks that end in one of the best sniping mediums in the game. However, rear turrets, awkward gameplay, and terrible gun depression makes this a hard pass for new players.	4.6
T-150	8 – The armor makes this very forgiving for new players to play. Guns are punchy. Mobility does suffer.	7 – Shares guns with many HT and MT. Shares radios all over the tree. Shares an engine.	6 – A bunch of solid, heavily armored tanks in one branch, and the unique double-barrel tanks in the other. Score held down because Double Barrel mechanics are going to be hard for a new player to learn/take advantage of.	7
KV-1S	7 – While the Armor is not as forgiving as the T-150, the extra mobility, and choice of hard hitting guns makes up for a lot.	3 – Only shares radio and engine research	10 – While not as thickly armored as the T-150 side of the tree, these 2 branches focus more on mobility, hard hitting guns, and armor angling, along with very thick turrets which help to teach the new player hull down tactics. One of the most common recommendations for a first branch for very good reasons. These 2 branches after the KV-1S are forgiving, give the new player a lot to work with, and overall usually a great gaming experience for the new player. This really is almost the perfect choice for a first Tier 6 leading up to your first Tier 10.	6.6
KV-2	5 – Slow. Not well armored. A terrible HT in its own right. However, you play this for the 152mm Howitzer. Lovingly called "The Derp". I would never recommend this as a first HT. As a 2nd HT to get for the laughs, there is none better. Probably one of the most fun tanks you will ever own – I recommend everyone have one for the occasional match full of laughs.	5 – Only shares 2 guns. Shares Radios all over, and shares engines with MT and HT branches. Not the first place I'd look for shared research to start with.	5 – This used to lead into the SPG branch until the tech tree shuffle, and now leads into the TD branch. I wouldn't use it as a leapfrog to the TDs. Consider this HT "end of branch" and just enjoy it as it is – likely to be one of the most fun tanks you have in your garage.	5
SU-8	5 – Nothing outstanding about this SPG. It fits very well into the middle of the pack.	5 – shares radios and engines with various parts of the tree.	5 – Really hard to recommend unless you want SPG's to do missions in. Aside from the Tier X, you will be playing with probably the hardest hitting SPG's tier per tier from Tier 7-9. However, they all universally have terrible gun traverse arcs, which can cause them to be awkward to play.	5

**********

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
Cromwell	6 – While the armor will not save you from mistakes – the high mobility likely can. Terrible accuracy on the guns and the inability to survive mistakes makes it harder to rate this higher for a new player. In the hands of an experienced player, this is a terror to behold in match.	10 – Shares many guns with many branches of the tree. Shares radios with almost the whole tree. Shares engines with many branches.	5 – While there are some tanks in this branch that some people like, they all tend to be just average mediums. I'd hold off on grinding these mediums for a while, unless you are just a fan of British tank design.	7
AT-8	7 – The armor of this TD will serve you well. This TD is all about sustained rate of fire. However, it is very slow and has low mobility. If you are into TD's and want to survive while you make mistakes, this one is hard to pass up.	5 – Doesn't share guns other than stock gun and top gun. Shares radios with almost whole tree and shares engines with several branches	7 – A branch of very slow, very heavily armored, high DPM TD's. Great for beginners who need the forgiveness of mistakes the toughness brings. Low mobility knocks this down from a higher score.	6.3
Churchill VII	4 – The armor only really works against equal tier and lower tier opponents. Is very slow and has very poor mobility. Probably one of the more frustrating heavy tanks you can play. Do not recommend as a first choice.	8 – Lots of shared research in guns/radios/engines across all branches.	7 – While not a first recommendation, I would make this a 2nd or 3rd choice just because the Tier 8+ in this branch are all great HT's, with the Conqueror and Super Conqueror being among the best tier-for-tier in the game.	6.3
Achilles	6 – An above average turreted TD that is a good introduction to TD play. Armor won't save you often.	3 – Only shares top gun and engine with TD branch, as well as radios with whole tree.	5 – Not a branch for beginners. These all tend to be squishy TD's with hard hitting guns. You really only grind this branch out for the FV 4005 and having access to the biggest Non-SPG gun in the game, along with the laughs you get from seeing insane damage numbers.	4.6
FV304	3 – This SPG is going to be difficult for new players to learn to play. This all boils down to the very short range on the guns, which means you have to be very close to the front lines, which constantly puts you at risk. In the hands of an experienced player, this is probably one of the most dangerous SPG's in the game, as they can use the mobility and high shell arc to do nasty things to their opponents.	3 – shares radios, and its top gun as the stock gun on the SPG a tier up. Don't come here looking for a leg-up on shared research	7 – Really hard to recommend unless you want SPG's to do missions in. Fortunately, the rest of the tree is a lot better. You end up getting massive gun traverse arcs and big guns with much better range, which makes aiming very easy.	4.3

**********

FRANCE

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
ARL V39	4 – Terrible armor means mistakes punished horribly. Stock grind is one of the worst in the game. Top guns make up for it a bit, but the grind to get there may very well leave a bitter taste in your mouth.	5 – shares guns with rest of TD branch, radios with a handful of tanks, and engines with a handful of tanks	5 – Leads to auto-loading TD's. If you want your auto-loading fix, I would look elsewhere first. These TD's are not the easiest vehicles to play, and if you get caught out in a bad situation, you are punished hard for it	4.6
ARL-44	6 – The armor works good when top tier, and doesn't exist when bottom tier. Has a great selection of guns. Ok mobility.	8 – guns shared with the HT and MT branches up to tier 9. Radios shared with much of the tree. Engines shared with HT and TD's.	7 – Both branches past this full of great tanks, aside from the terrible AMX 65T. Whether you go Auto-loaders or the Single-Shot branch, you will likely find a good tank for you. Not recommended for first branch because of auto-loading mechanics and needing to learn how to use it, as well as having probably the worst Tier 8 tank in the game in the AMX 65t. Easily worth recommending either branch as a 2nd HT grind.	7
AMX 12t	5 – A great introduction to auto-loading mechanics. While the soft armor and needing to learn scouting makes this difficult to use for a first tank, once you get a grip on the game, this tank leads you into a whole new world of late-game dominance with the ability to remove badly wounded enemies quickly.	3 – Shared guns only with the LT a tier up, and radios with the whole tree.	9 – While not very forgiving for new players because of lack of armor allowing mistakes to be punished harshly, it is very hard to find a 'bad' tank in either branch past the AMX 12t. As you learn the auto-loading mechanics and scouting mechanics, you will find that mid-late game, you are suddenly one of the most powerful tanks in the match. You just have to learn the patience to get there.	5.6
AMD 178B	3 – The first wheeled tank you can get. It has poor armor, and is no faster than the other light tanks in tier, while having much worse view range. The only redeeming factor is the gun, which as a trait of the entire tree, you will learn to appreciate as you pop other lights/thin skinned tanks with HE for a lot of damage.	2 – shares only radios with the rest of the wheeled branch, and top gun is stock gun on next tier up.	4 – while people sing the praises of the EBR 105 at tier X – I implore the new player to not touch this branch until they have a much better understanding of game mechanics. The poor view range, terrible armor, and ease with which you can get yourself removed from the match means you are a liability to your team in these vehicles. Until you become a very experienced player and know how to take full advantage of game mechanics to help your team, I would not recommend touching these vehicles.	3
AMX 13 F3	5 – speedy for an SPG, and a decent gun. However, the way the gun is mounted can cause strange aiming issues	4 – shares gun and engine with next SPG up, and also shares radios with almost entire tech tree.	6 – Really hard to recommend unless you want SPG's to do missions in. This becomes a line of very quick, fast firing, accurate SPG's with low damage/splash. The guns do low damage and on heavily armored tanks, it is not uncommon to do less than 100 damage on a direct hit to a tank with very thick armor. This is especially true at tiers 9 and 10.	5

**********

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
Skoda T 25	5 – Great mobility, and with top gun and turret, a great introduction to auto-loading mechanics. Lack of armor means mistakes are punished harshly. In the hands of an experienced player, it can do deadly things.	1 – This only shares radios with the rest of the single branch tree.	5 – Once you become an experienced player, the tier 9 and 10 tanks are monsters on the battlefield. However, getting to that point is a trial in patience, as the rest of the tree is full of stinkers until tier 9. Only recommend this once you become experienced and want to try your hand at probably the best tier 9 medium in the game.	3.6

**********

JAPAN

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
Chi-To	4 – The large size of this tank is its biggest drawback, as the thin armor at this large size means you are punished for the slightest mistake. However, it is decently mobile and has an average gun for a medium of this tier.	3 – It shares only its stock gun and Radios	7 – Recent buffs have turned this from a line to be ignored, into a line of great mediums. However, due to lack of shared research, and squishy armor until you get to the Tier 10 STB-1 when it is hull down. This line is not recommended until you become a more experienced player. The STB-1 at tier 10 is probably one of the most powerful MT's in the game currently.	4.6
O-I	7 – While very slow and vulnerable to side attacks or shorter tanks sitting side-by-side with it, the frontal armor is fantastic and the 15cm howitzer – like the 152mm on the KV-2 – is great fun. Very forgiving for new players making mistakes.	6 – The 15cm is used up to tier 8, the radios shared all over the tree, and the top engine used even by the Tier 9 Type 4 Heavy. You will get a lot of bang for your token on this line. Cannot rate higher as there are only 2 branches in this tree currently.	7 – A branch practically made for the new player. Heavy armor makes them very forgiving of mistakes. Big guns do a lot of damage. The main issue is that the armor is good until equal or higher tier opponents start dipping into the premium rounds, which turns your armor to butter.	6.6

**********

CHINA

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
WZ-131G FT	5 – a very mobile TD that has poor armor, so mistakes are harshly punished. Once fully upgraded, it is pretty deadly in tier.	3 – stock gun is top gun of prior tier, top gun is stock gun of TD one tier up. Shares radios with a lot of the tree.	5 – turns into a branch of very unremarkable TD's. Nothing outstanding about them in a positive or negative way. Big guns, OK armor. Not recommended for a new player.	4.3
59-16	5 – This is an OK scout. Nothing outstanding, and the thin armor will punish mistakes. As per other scout branches, do not recommend as your first tier 6 until you learn scouting basics.	2 – Shares radios with entire tree, top engine is stock engine on next LT up	6 – A decent line of combat scouts, similar to the Soviet scouts. Tier 8 WZ-132 is probably the highlight of this line.	4.3
Type 58	5 – The Chinese version of the T 34-85, this MT ends up being a pale imitation. Poor gun depression, suspect armor, and OK, but not good mobility make this one often not very fun to play.	6 – Guns are shared with the MT and HT branches. Radios shared with a handful of tanks. Engines shared all the way up to tier 9 HT and MT branches.	6 – The HT branch after this tank is full of hidden gems, as this is a branch that isn't often seen. The score is dragged down by the terrible MT branch, though with rumors of upcoming buffs to the line, this might change things.	5.6

**********

POLAND

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
40TP	5 – An average HT. Decent guns mean that you can dish some damage when called upon. However, the grind to the top gun isn't easy, as you will put up with a terrible turret until you research the top turret, which is required for the top gun.	5 – until the Polish mediums were added, this would have been a 1. Now, it shares all of its guns with the MT branch, shares radios with HT and MT's.	8 – The grind to tier 8+ on this branch is almost universally agreed upon as one of the absolute worst in the game. However, the HT's at tier 8+ are all great competitors, with OK armor, and hard hitting guns. This means for beginners, you will probably like tier 8 and up. Well, that is if you are able to put up with the terrible taste the grind to that point puts in your mouth.	6
B.U.G.I.	5 – Poor armor hurts the score here, as mistakes will be punished hard. However, it has a great choice in 2 top guns that make it a deadly opponent in a match, along with good mobility.	4 – shares 2 guns with MT and HT branches and both radios with the same 4 tanks of the HT and MT branches.	5 – While there are some great MT's in this branch – they all tend to come in around average. Gun handling is poor across the branch, with poor armor which means you get punished hard for mistakes. Definitely not a line for new players	4.6

**********

SWEDEN

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
IKV 65 II	4 – While the gun is good and the gun handling great compared to the prior TD in the line, along with good mobility, the terrible armor means every single mistake ends up with you punished – quite often 1-shot by a Howitzer.	3 – top gun is stock on next TD up, shared radios with TD and MT branches	6 – Tier 8+ in this branch are great fun for experienced players who know how to use camo and siege mechanics to their maximum. The guns all tend to be very good, and it is rare you need to use premium rounds because of the extremely high pen on the standard rounds. For a new player, not recommended. Would recommend as probably your 2nd TD branch you research as you gain game experience.	4.3
STRV 74	5 – good mobility and good gun make up for a lot, but the thin armor means punishment is coming for every mistake.	3 – top gun is stock gun on next MT up, shares radios with MT's, TD's, and Heavies.	7 – Both the HT and the MT branch have many great tanks, with awesome hull down potential. However, that is their downfall, as you need to be a more experienced player to get the most out of them. You can't go wrong with either branch. I would not recommend them to a new player. 2nd or 3rd choice is probably about right, if they tickle your fancy.	5

**********

ITALY

TANK	Easy To Learn/Forgiving on Mistakes	Shared Research	Future Fun	Overall Score
P.43 bis	6 – Amazing top gun for a medium of this tier. Surprisingly trollish armor. When top tier, you can legitimately act as a HT. The mobility holds it back, as even with the top engine, it is not going to win any races. However, it will get you there fast enough.	4 – stock gun is top gun on prior MT, top gun is stock on next MT up. Radio shared up to tier 8 of branch. Top engine is an upgrade on Tier 7.	8 – Probably one of the most fun branches in the game. Almost every tank in the tree has something good about it that you will enjoy. The auto-reloading mechanic of tier 8+ puts regular auto-loaders to shame. While the armor disappears at tier 7, the mobility starts picking up tremendously. This means that you are punished harshly for mistakes, until you become a lot more experienced and learn how to use the line's mobility and the auto-reloading mechanic a lot better.	6